__________________The universe is the practical joke of the General at the expense of the Particular, quoth Frater Perdurabo, and laughed. The disciples nearest him wept, seeing the Universal Sorrow. Others laughed, seeing the Universal Joke. Others wept. Others laughed. Others wept because they couldn't see the Joke, and others laughed lest they should be thought not to see the Joke. But though FRATER laughed openly, he wept secretly; and really he neither laughed nor wept. Nor did he mean what he said.

That is simply to far for most casual fans to go to. The Dupage option maybe a little better depending on where in DuPage. Rosemont is truly their best option since they are still realitively close and have prebuilt entertainment options close by.

Not that the Cubs will ever move, but is anyone aware of any territorial restrictions on the Chicago teams like the A's are battling?

There are no White Sox-Cubs territorial restrictions. The Giants and A's have territorial restrictions between them because the A's granted the Giants the South Bay (San Jose) in an agreement between the two teams. The White Sox and Cubs have no such agreement. The White Sox predate radio and television. The Cubs even played home World Series games at Old Comiskey Park before America's first commercial radio broadcast.

But one of the reasons the Cubs have long been regarded the glamour team in Chicago, outside if not inside the city, is that they play in a more fashionable part of the city. This was true in relative terms even before the Cubs' neighborhood was particularly fashionable. The Cubs moving out of the city would be a longshot. The Cubs moving south of the White Sox would be inconceivable.

What better way for the Cubs to distance themselves from their curse-ridden past than to build a new ballpark on the site of an abandoned mental health facility?

I grew up in Tinley Park, even taking swimming lessons in the TPMHC's pool, and I still live close by, in Orland Hills. In fact, I drive past the deserted place every day on my way to work. I wouldn't want the Cubs there (not that there's a chance in hell of them ever killing the golden goose by leaving Wrigley Field), but it would be really cool to see some kind of sports facility built on that property. Maybe another minor league baseball park, like beautiful Silver Cross Field in Joliet. Mayor Zabrocki makes a good point about the close proximity to I-80 and the Metra station...

Isn't there a closed-down trash incinerating place in the south suburbs? Posen? Robbins? Harvey? That might be a good place for the Cubs.

How about Dolton's stillborn water park and convention center/hotel/entertainment complex at 142nd & Ridgeland. Its still a vacant lot. It was supposed to be the pet project of the same guy who promised the redevelopment of Dixie Square Mall but bungled the rehabilitation by demolishing the one part of it that was supposed to stay. He's in prison now I think, but for other reasons.

Man, Cub fans would be besides themselves with worry if they ever had to travel that far south!